Tooth block with metal onlay



Jan. 8, 1957 c. E. STUART TOOTH BLOCK WITH METAL ONLAY Filed Feb. 28, 1955 INVENTOR. CHAR/ E5 E 57m/QT ATTORNEY United States Patent O TOOTH BLOCK WITH METAL ONLAY Charles E. Stuart, Ventura, Calif.

Application February 28, 1955, Serial No. 491,018

Claims. (Cl. 32-2) This invention relates to artificial dentures, generally, and deals more particularly with a tooth block structure adapted for inclusion in full dentures.

An object of the present invention is to provide tooth blocks for replacing the first and second bicuspids and the first and second molars, both upper and lower and on both sides, that are each adapted to be set to the proper plane of occlusion, lateral curve and arch width as units rather than as single teeth, the en bloc construction largely eliminating the need for grinding of the tooth tops, even in short bite cases.

Another object of the invention is to provide tooth block structures that interit in a non-tipping and nonrocking centric relationship, thereby facilitating set-up of artificial dentures in articulators.

A further object of the invention is to provide tooth blocks of the character referred to that are long-wearing, being highly resistant to wear resulting from mastication and other forms of abrasion.

A still further object of the invention is to provide tooth blocks that are adapted to be made of materials having realistic appearance, the abrasion-resisting surfaces of the blocks merely appearing to be inlays or fillings.

The invention also has for its objects to provide such means that are positive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed in a working position and easily disconnected therefrom, economical of manufacture, relatively simple, and of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear in the course of the following description. However, the drawing merely shows and the following description merely describes one embodiment of the present invention, which is given by way of illustration or example only.

In the drawing, like reference characters designate similar parts in the several views.

Fig. l is a perspective view of a set of dentures embodying tooth blocks according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the lower plate of the dentures shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view as taken on line 3 3 of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a similarly enlarged longitudinal sectional view of one of the tooth blocks.

The upper and lower plates and 11, respectively, are usually made of acrylic or comparable plastic material of suitable pink color to conform to the coloring of the tissues of the oral cavity. The teeth 12 and 13, embedded in said respective plates are the usual incisors and canines that replace the natural teeth. The foregoing is generally conventional, the same merely providing the environment in which the present tooth blocks 14 and 1S are placed as cooperating pairs. Each block comprises a body 16 of porcelain or plastic material that, in length is formed according to the length occupied by the four rear teeth, the two bicuspids and the two molar-s,

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as can best be seen from Fig. 2. Said non-metallic block body is provided with suitable vertical indentations that create the illusion that said body is made of four elements rather than from one. Thus, the body is imparted a realistic side appearance.

Each said block further comprises a metallic replica of the occlusal or chewing surfaces of said four rear teeth, the same being designated 17 in the drawing and having an outline form coinciding with that of the body 16. A unique feature of the metallic onlay thus provided is that the same, in addition to the hills 18 and valleys 18a that simulate those of natural teeth, is formed to have a central longitudinal groove 19 that can best be seen in Fig. 3. Hence, a typical transverse cross-section of each onlay can best be described as having the general form of a iiattened M, although the shape of the M is not necessarily symmetrical on both lingual and buccal sides of the onlay. Also, the outer legs of the IVI-shaped section may be substantially shorter or shallower than the height or depth of the groove 19 with respect to hills 18.

Each onlay 17 is made of a thickness suitable to the purpose and great enough to allow for some grinding for the purposes of proper fit. The under face 20 of each onlay is roughened, rather than smooth, so as to properly t the body 16 which is molded to the onlay while in plastic condition.

In order to retain the onlay on the body, the former is provided with a retentive device, such as an elongated metal wire 21 in spaced relation to the face 20 of the onlay and connected to said onlay by posts or the like 22. Thus, as seen in Figs. 3 and 4, the retentive device, welded, cast or soldered to the onlay, constitutes an insert within the block body 16, the same, not only serving to retain the onlay in place but also serving as a metallic reinforcing means for the block body.

As can be seen from Fig. 3, the pairs of upper and lower blocks 14 and 15 are so interftted, with the plates 10 and 11 in centric, that the grooves thereof are in offset relation with the groove in the upper onlay generally receiving the buccal portions of the onlay of the lower block and the groove in the lower onlay generally receiving the lingual portions of the onlay of the upper block. Thus, the dentures have non-tilting or non-tipping stability on the gum ridges on which set.

In the fabrication of the dentures, the bodies of the crowns between the occlusal surfaces of the onlays and the gum replicas or plates can be cured in tooth color plastic at the same time that the dentures are processed. Or the entire denture base 10 or 11, as the case may be, and tooth block can be cured in gum-colored plastic, and the tooth portions subsequently cut out, and tooth-colored plastic supplied to ill in as required.

The blocks may be made in a variety of sizes from 28 mm. to 36 mm. per four tooth block, the range substantially filling all possible conditions of use.

While the foregoing has illustrated and described what is now contemplated to be the best mode of carrying out the invention, the construction is, of course, subject to modification without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. lt is, therefore, not desired to restrict the invention to the particular form of construction illustrated and described, but to cover all modifications that may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A tooth block comprising a non-metallic body formed to represent a plurality of teeth, a metal onlay having a shape conforming to that of the body and having an occlusal surface in imitation of natural occlusal tooth surfaces, said onlay having a longitudinal and substantially central groove therein, and means secured to the onlay placeably on the latter, said means comprising a wire member spaced from the onlay.

2. In an artificial denture, a pair of inter-iitting tooth blocks each comprising a non-metallic body formed to represent a plurality of teeth, a metal onlay on each body having a shape conforming to each respective body, each onlay having an occlusal surface in imitation of natural occlusal tooth surfaces, each said cnlay also having a longitudinal and substantially central groove therein, and means secured to each onlay and embedded in cach respective body to retain the onlays non-displaceably on the bodies, each said means comprising a Wire member spaced from the onlay.

3. A tooth block onlay comprising a metallic member shaped to conform to the molars and bicuspids ci a human mouth, said onlay having an occlusal surface that is provided with a longitudinal and substantially central groove and with cusp elevations on each side of said groove, said groove and elevations imparting a cross-sectional flattened rtl-shape to the onlay, and means afxcd to the opposite face of the onlay adapted to retain the onlay on a denture, said means comprising a wire member spaced from the onlay.

4. In an articial denture having a non-metallic plate conforming to the oral cavity with a pair of non-metallic tooth blocks, one on each side of the plate, the improvement therewith comprising a pair of metallic onlays having occlusal surfaces in imitation of the natural occlusal surface of the bicuspids and molars, and means secured to each onlay adapted to fasten said onlays to said blocks, said means consisting of a Wire member spaced from said onlay and running parallel to the length thereof.

5. In an artificial denture having a non-metallic plate conforming to the oral cavity with a pair of non-metallic tooth blocks, one on each side of the plate, the improvement therewith comprising a pair of metallic onlays having occlusal surfaces in imitation of the natural occlusal surface of the bicuspids and molars, and means secured to each onlay adapted to fasten said onlays to said blocks, said means consisting of a wire member spaced from said onlay and running parallel vto the length thereof, there being a longitudinal groove centrally disposed in the occluszll surfaces of said onlays, and the mentioned wire member being secured to the under surface of the onlay and running parallel to the groove therein.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,549,636 Raber Apr. 17, 1951 2,717,445 Ford Sept. 13, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 380,991 Great Britain Sept. 29, 1932 

